Between 1 January 2017 and 30 November 2017, 171,300 refugees and migrants arrived by sea and land to Europe (Greece, Italy, Spain and Cyprus only, including arrivals to the Canary Islands and by land to Spain). While sea arrivals to Europe in November were 51% lower than last year, largely due to fewer people crossing from Libya, higher numbers crossed from Libya in November than in October while Spain recorded the highest number of land and sea arrivals this year.

Compilation of available statistical data indicates that the arrivals to Europe through the Mediterranean in the first eight months of 2017 is lower when compared to the same period in 2016. As of 31 August 2017, national authorities in Greece, Italy, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Spain registered 131,167 newly arrived migrants mostly from the Middle East, Africa, South and Central Asia which is in a sharp contrast to 297,255 recorded during the same period in 2016 (56% decrease).

According to available data, in the first half of 2017, there were more than 100,000 arrivals to Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Spain (101,559). This represents a 58% decrease when compared to the same period in 2016 when 239,925 arrivals were registered. This is mainly due to the sharpe decrease in arrivals to Greece.

According to available data, there have been 72,377 new arrivals to Greece,
Italy, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Spain between 1 January and 31 May 2017.

Until 31 May 2017, there were estimated 60,228 cumulative arrivals to Italy, compared to 47,851 arrivals recorded at the end of the same month in 2016 (26% increase). Contrary to that, Greece has seen a 95% lower number of arrivals by the end May 2017 when compared to the same period 2016 (8,025 and 158,461 respectively).

Until 28 February 2017, there were 13,439 cumulative arrivals to Italy, compared to 9,101 arrivals recorded in the same month in 2016 (a 48% increase). Greece has seen a 98% lower number of arrivals in February 2017 when compared to the same period in 2016, 2,611 and 125,494 respectively.

According to available data, there have been 17,479 new arrivals to Greece, Italy and Bulgaria, as countries of first arrival to Europe since the beginning of 2017 till 28 of February 2017.

Until 31 January 2017, there were 4,480 cumulative arrivals to Italy, compared to 5,273 arrivals recorded in the same month in 2016 (a 15% decrease). Greece has seen a 97% lower number of arrivals in January 2017 when compared to the same period in 2016, 1,387 and 67,954 respectively.

According to available data, there have been 11,233 new arrivals to Greece, Italy and Bulgaria, as countries of first arrival to Europe since the beginning of 2017 till 8 of February 2017.

The total number of arrivals to Europe by the end of December 2016 has been recorded as 387,739. This is in stark contrast to the 1, 046,599 arrivals recorded in 2015. The decrease in numbers of arrivals can be observed across many of the countries which saw the highest numbers of arrivals in 2015. In Greece 2016 brought 176,906 arrivals compared to the 857,363 recorded in 2015, a 79% decrease, while Italy saw a slight (16%) rise in numbers of arri-vals, from 155,842 in 2015 to 181,436 in 2016.

The 2015 Annual Report on the Situation of Asylum in the European Union aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the number and nature of applications for international protection made in the EU+ (1). It examines how those applications were processed and indicates important developments at EU+ and national level in order to describe the functioning of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) in each of its key aspects.

Asylum seekers and other migrants are arriving in Europe and encountering rapidly changing border controls as they seek transit through Europe. The EU is implementing its “hotspot” approach for new arrival registration in Italy and Greece. This is a snapshot of the situation based on available unclassified data as of March 4, 2016.

Asylum seekers and other migrants are arriving in Europe and encountering rapidly changing border controls as they seek transit through Europe. The EU has begun implementing its “hotspot” approach for new arrival registration in Italy and Greece, while efforts to increase reception and temporary shelter capacity in Balkan states continue. This is a snapshot of the situation based on available data as of December 14, 2015.